This invention relates to auxiliary powered devices and in particular devices for powering low consumption features of portable instruments such as wrist watches. With electronic or quartz watches, an electric power source exists by which an electric energy consumption element such as a light source, typically a conventional LED, may be activated to illuminate a watch face to facilitate reading time at night. However, mechanical watches do not typically have an electric power source and rely typically on luminescence to enable reading of the watch face at night.
Miniature lighting devices exist which incorporate miniature lighting elements which are illuminated on-demand for a limited duration for backlighting and/or illumination purposes. Such devices however do not provide a trigger for releasing stored mechanical energy.
Other devices, not just lighting devices, can benefit from an ability to trigger their operation for a short duration.
What is needed therefore is a means to trigger the operation of an electric power consuming element for a limited time, such as to illuminate a mechanical watch that does not rely on luminescence or a battery or other electro-chemical storage device.